THESIS -...

Thesis Article

University of Nusantara PGRI Kediri

Heni Herawati| 11.1.01.08.0086 Faculty of Teacher Training and Education

English Department

simki.unpkediri.ac.id Page | 1

THE EFFECT OF CLUSTERING TECHNIQUE TO THE TENTH GRADE

STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITY OF SMKN 1 KEDIRI IN ACADEMIC

YEAR 2014/2015

THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain

The Sarjana Degree of Education of English Department

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education


By:

HENI HERAWATI

NPM. 11.1.01.08.0086

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF NUSANTARA PGRI KEDIRI

2015

Thesis Article



English Department


Thesis Article



English Department


THE EFFECT OF CLUSTERING TECHNIQUE TO THE TENTH GRADE

STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITY OF SMKN1 KEDIRI IN ACADEMIC

YEAR 2014/2015

Heni Herawati

NPM. 11.1.01.08.0086

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education - English Department

Email: [email protected]

Dosen pembimbing 1: Saiful, S.Pd., M.Pd.

Dosen Pembimbing 2: Drs. Agung Wicaksono, M.Pd.

UNIVERSITY OF NUSANTARA PGRI KEDIRI

ABSTRACT

Writing is one of four skills which have to be mastered in learning English as second or

foreign language. However, in fact, students often face some difficulties in learning English especially

in creating a text. The problems are about difficulty to generate ideas, grammatical structure,

mechanical writing, and lack on vocabulary. On the other hand, the difficulty to generate ideas is the

most common problem. Dealing with the problem, it is needed to use an appropriate technique in

teaching learning process of writing that can assist them to solve those problems. The technique is

clustering techniques.

This research is aimed to find out the effect of clustering techniques to the students’ writing

ability to the tenth grade students of SMKN 1 Kediri and to find out the students’ response when

clustering techniques applied to the student’s writing ability to the tenth grade students of SMKN 1

Kediri.

In order to get and analyze the data, this research uses quantitative research. It uses the form of

number that was analyzed by using statistical formula. In this case, there are two means scores; the

means scores are pre-test and post-test. Then the researcher computes t-score to know the effect of the

clustering teachniques to the students’ writing ability. Technique of this research is experimental

research. It is a research to know the effect of a variable to the other variable. This research is

conducted in SMKN 1 Kediri on 7th April and 31

st May 2015. The subject is X TPM 1 class. It consists

of 29 male students.

Clustering technique is effective to be used in teaching writing especially in the tenth grade

students of SMKN 1 Kediri in academic year 2014/2015. It is proved by the result of t-score (6,15)

that is higher than t-table in the level of significance 1% (2,763). Besides that, the students’

questionnaire proved that more than 50% students agree that clustering technique is the easier and

more interested way to assist them in generating ideas. So, Null Hypothesis (Ho) of this research was

rejected and the Alternative Hypothesis (Ha) of this research was accepted.

Based on the analyzed data, the researcher is also concluded that there is a very significant

effect of clustering techniques to the tenth grade students’ writing ability of SMKN 1 Kediri in

academic year 2014/2015.

Keyword: Writing Ability, Clustering Techniques, Generating Ideas

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I. INTRODUCTION

Writing is one of the language skills.

It can deliver what someone’s think

through written text. Kassner and O’Neill

(2010:56) state, “Writing is both a social

and cognitive communicative act”.

Furthermore, they also state, “Writing is a

form of communication governed by the

writer’s purpose, the message to be

delivered, the audience to be addressed,

and the context surrounding the writer,

audience, and text”. In line with that,

Vallis (2010:160-161) says, “Writing is a

lot like an act of hospitality; one invites

another into one’s thoughts, and shows that

person around, in an organized manner”.

Those statements mean that writing is an

activity of exploring ideas and practicing

thought as an important transitioning of

students to develop their ideas into good

independent thinker. It is also about the

communication with the readers. Its form

is a written work.

Chris Sowton (2011:8) states, “As

children, we acquire spoken language

naturally, when we are exposed to the

language of those around us, such as our

parents. Writing, however, is a much more

difficult skill to learn. The process is more

complicated and takes a long time. This is

why writing is often considered more

important and prestigious. When learning

writing in a second language, the process is

even more difficult.” The statement refers

that mostly some people judge that writing

is the difficult skill. The process of

creating a written work is complicated. It

also needs long time because to get an idea

is also difficult. In line with that, Taylor

(2009:4) states, “For most people writing

is an extremely difficult task if they are

trying to grapple in their language with

new ideas and new ways of looking at

them”. So, the difficulty in writing depends

on an ability to generate new relevant

ideas.

Despite some people said that writing

is difficult, In fact, writing as individual

activity is very useful in daily life. When

people want to find a job they need to

write application letter, when they want to

promote their product they need to write

advertisement, when they need to inform a

news in written form they need to write

announcement, when they want to invite

someone to their home they need to write

invitation card, etc. So, that’s why teaching

writing based on the appropriate

curriculum is truly needed. In Indonesia,

teaching learning process is using

Kurikuum 2013. Minister of education and

culture (2013:85-86) states, “Kurikulum

2013 adalah kurikulum berbasis

kompetensi. Kurikulum berbasis

kompetensi adalah outcomes-based

curriculum dan oleh karena itu

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pengembangan kurikulum diarahkan pada

pencapaian kompetensi yang dirumuskan

dari SKL. Demikian pula penilaian hasil

belajar dan hasil kurikulum diukur dari

pencapaian kompetensi. Keberhasilan

kurikulum dartikan sebagai pencapaian

kompetensi yang dirancang dalam

dokumen kurikulum oleh seluruh peserta

didik”.

In line with that, Minister of

education and culture (2013:82) states,

“Kurikulum 2013 adalah dirancang

dengan tujuan untuk mempersiapkan insan

Indonesia supaya memiliki kemampuan

hidup sebagai pribadi dan warga negara

yang beriman, produktif, kreatif, inovatif,

dan afektif serta mampu berkontribusi

pada kehidupan bermasyarakat,

berbangsa, bernegara dan peradaban

dunia”. From two explanations above, it

can be concluded that Kurikulum 2013 is

determined by the government to prepare

Indonesian students to be better in any

aspect of life.

Kurikulum 2013 emphasize on

pedagogic dimension in teaching learning

process that is scientific approach. In

addition, Minister of education and culture

(2013:278) states, “Pendekatan ilmiah

(scientific approach) dalam pembelajaran

sebagaimana dimaksud meliputi

mengamati, menanya, menalar, mencoba,

memebentuk jejaring untuk semua mata

pelajaran”. Based on the statement it can

be concluded that Kurikulum 2013 using

scientific approach has 5 steps such as

observing, questioning, experimenting,

associating and networking. The approach

assists teacher teachers to teach their class

easily because all of the procedure is

structured well. Those 5 steps also help

students to be more understood about the

material by using their critical thinking.

Nonetheless, students still has some

problems. But the approach can minimize

it. Although scientific approach assists

students to study easier, they still have

some problem in language skill, especially

in writing ability. Writing is often

perceived as the most difficult language

skill.

In fact, mostly the students have

some problems in writing. The problems

were about difficulties to generate ideas,

grammatical structure, mechanical writing,

and lack on vocabulary. These problems

could be influenced by some factors. It

usually appeared caused by method or

technique that the teacher used in teaching

writing, because some teachers taught

writing just gave explanation and

exercises. It makes students got nothing

and bored. The problems has to be solved

in order to make students interested in

writing and think that writing is a simple

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and easy then they will understand about

how to write well.

Related with some problems above,

the teacher needed to use an appropriate

technique in teaching learning process of

writing that could help them to solve their

problems. Anthony (1963:63-7) on Jack

and Theodore (1986:15) state, “A

technique is implementational - that which

actually takes place in a classroom. It is a

particular trick, stratagem, or contrivance

used to accomplish an immediate

objective. Techniques must be consistent

with a method and therefore in harmony

with an approach as well”. It means that

technique is the action of method that the

teacher used as guidance in teaching

learning process.

By applying appropriate technique,

the teacher has to be able to encourage the

students to express their ideas into a good

writing. The teacher gave opportunities to

the students to write their ideas without

being afraid of making mistake.

Some problems above also happened

in SMKN 1 Kediri so the researcher used

clustering technique in teaching writing.

The researcher hoped by using this

technique, the students were able to

generate their ideas, developed their ideas,

then organized it in correct sentences and

in a good paragraph easily.

Raimes and Jerskey (2011:16) states,

“Mapping, also called clustering, is a

visual way of generating and connecting

ideas”. It means that clustering technique

is activity that is used to generate ideas.

Clustering helps the students to put their

think in balloon. After that the students

write in the paper. This technique gives the

students opportunity to express ideas.

Clustering technique is a good technique to

stimulate the students to generate their

ideas easily. It is also assists the students to

develop their idea in writing text. It gives

the influence in quality of writing. The

form of clustering technique is easy to

understand especially by the students. It

can give a new style in writing activity.

Based on the discussion above, the

researcher conducted this research under

the title “The Effect of Clustering

Technique to the Tenth Grade Students’

Writing Ability of SMKN 1 Kediri in

Academic Year 2014/2015”.

II. METHOD

Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, and Razavieh

(2010:37) say, “a variable is a construct or

a characteristic that can take on different

values or scores”. It means that variable is

determined by researcher as a main focus

for a research.“The manipulated variable is

called the experimental treatment or the

independent variable. The observed and

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measured variable is called the dependent

variable”, (Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, and

Razavieh, 2010:26). Based on the

statement, there are two variables in this

research. They are independent (X)

variable and dependent variable (Y). The

independent variable is the variables that

affect the other variables or suspected as

the cause of the other variables. The

dependent variable is the variable that is

affected by the independent variable or

variables that emerge as a result of the

independent variable.

From the title of the study, which is

“The Effect of Clustering Technique to the

Tenth Grade Students’ Writing Ability of

SMKN 1 Kediri in Academic Year

2014/2015”, the researcher concluded that

this study has two variables. Those are

independent variable and dependent

variable. The independent variable was

clustering technique and the dependent

variable was writing ability.

Approach of this research was

quantitative. “Quantitative research deals

with questions of relationship, cause and

effect, or current status that researchers can

answer by gathering and statistically

analyzing numeric data”, (Ary, Jacobs,

Sorensen, and Razavieh, 2010:45). The

statement refers that quantitative research

use the form of number that was analyzed

by using statistical formula. In this case,

there were two means scores; the means

scores are pre-test and post-test. Then the

researcher computed t-score to know the

effect of the clustering teachnique to the

students’ writing ability.

Technique of this research was

experimental research. “Experimental

research involves a study of the effect of

the systematic manipulation of one

variable(s) on another variable”, (Ary,

Jacobs, Sorensen, and Razavieh, 2010:26).

It means that experimental research is a

research to know the effect of a variable to

the other variable.

The research carried out at SMKN 1

Kediri. It is located on Jl. Veteran No.9

Kediri on February 2015 until July 2015.

The population of this research was the

tenth grade students in academic year

2014/2015 of SMKN 1 Kediri which

consists of 640 students of 20 classes. The

sample of this research was the tenth grade

students of SMKN 1 Kediri in X TPM 1

class (Machinery Technique). The total

numbers of students in the class are 29

students. It consists of male students only.

It was taken used purposive sampling

technique.

In order to collect the data, the

researcher had to use instrument as a tool.

To know the effectiveness of clustering

technique to the students’ writing ability,

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the researcher used test and questionnaire

to measure it.

“Tests are valuable measuring

instruments for educational research. A test

is a set of stimuli presented to an

individual in order to elicit responses on

the basis of which a numerical score can be

assigned”, (Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, and

Razavieh, 2010:201). It refers that test is

an instrument in conducting research in

order to measure how far the students have

an ability of something. The test here

conducted in the form of written test. The

question in pre-test and post-test was about

creating a biographical recount text. It had

similar question in each test. The

questionnaire of this research had 8

questions. Scoring technique of pre-test

and post-test used scoring rubric in

Kurikulum 2013. It was used to analyze

the data related to the students’ recount

text in writing ability.

“A questionnaire is a form which is

prepared and distributed for the purpose of

securing responses. Generally these

questions are factual and designed for

securing information about certain

conditions or practices, of which recipient

is presumed to have knowledge”, (Singh,

2006:191). It can be conclude that

questionnaire is an instrument in

conducting research in order to get the

information about a response of certain

conditions or practices.

The researcher collected the data by

conducting pre-test firstly. It was needed to

know the ability of the students before

clustering technique applied. After that, the

researcher was doing treatment by using

clustering technique to teach biographical

recount text. The researcher also gave the

students post-test to know how far

clustering technique assisted the students

in writing recount text. After the test and

treatment done, the researcher gave a set of

questionnaires to know the response of the

students when clustering technique

applied.

To analyze quantitative data, the

researcher analyzed the data collected by

using statistical formula. The suitable

technique used to measure pre-test and

post-test is the t-test. According to Ary,

Jacobs, Sorensen, and Razavieh,

(2010:177) the formula is as follows:

√∑

(∑ )

( )

In analyzing qualitative data from

questionnaire, the researcher used coding

frame that suitable with the form of close-

ended question. Dornyei (2003:99) states,

“The coding frame is a classification

scheme that offers a numerical score for

every possible answer to an item”.

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Furthermore he adds, “With closed-ended

items the coding frame is usually very

straight forward: each pre-determined

response option is assigned a number (e.g.,

'strongly disagree'=1, 'disagree'=2,

'neutral'=3, 'agree'=4, 'strongly agree'=5).”

It refers that a set of questionnaire which

has close-ended questions is analyzed by

coding frame. Each item is calculated

based on what number that has choosen by

the respondent (e.g., 'strongly disagree'=1,

'disagree'=2, 'neutral'=3, 'agree'=4,

'strongly agree'=5).

III. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

After the research was done, the

researcher analyzed the data they have

gotten. There are two scores of the

students. They are pre-test scores and post-

test scores. The highest score of pre-test is

77. Unfortunately, the lowest score of pre-

test is 50. It can be concluded that mostly

the students had a difficulty in creating a

written text. Their score is unsatisfying

because the English standard score of the

school is 75. The score of pre-test above

was very different with the score of post-

test. The highest score of post-test is 90.

Unfortunately, the lowest scores of pre-test

is 53. However, mostly the students of X

TPM-1 class got good scores. It can be

concluded that mostly the students are able

to produce written text using clustering

technique.

Based on the scores of pre-test and

post-test above, the researcher could

describe the result of data analysis. It

shows that the total score of pre-test is

1891, and the total score of post-test is

2210. It means that the students’ score is

increase after they taught a text by using

clustering technique. There are some

students who still got unsatisfying score.

However, mostly the students got

satisfying score. The total scores of D

(difference score between pre-test and

post-test) is 319. While the total scores of

is 6119. It can be concluded that the

result of post-test is higher than the result

of pre-test. Mostly, the students got an

increasing score. However, there are some

students who got same score or lower than

they had in post-test. After it was analyzed,

it is important to know the level of

significance of the score. It can be

identified by using t-test formula. It is used

to measure how far clustering technique

can affect the students’ writing ability

especially in X TPM-1 class who had

unsatisfying score before. The scores

above had showed the increasing score, but

it has to measure by using the formula.

Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, and Razavieh

(2010:177) state, “The result of the pre-test

and post-test which were presented to the

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English Department


students could be analyzed by using T-test

which was as follows”:

√∑

(∑ )

( )

N : 29

∑ : 319

∑ : 6119

(∑ ) : 101761

db = N-1

= 29-1 = 28

The t-table that use is:

1% = 2,467

5% = 1,701

Related to all data that have been

analyzed above, the researcher concludes

that clustering technique is effective to the

tenth grade students’ writing ability of

SMKN 1 Kediri in academic year

2014/2015. It can be seen from the

difference score of pre-test and post-test.

The total score of pre-test is 1891 and the

mean is 65,21. While the total score of

post-test is 2210 and the mean is 76,21.

Moreover, the result of t-score (6,15) is

higher than t-table in the level of

significance 1% (2,467). The difference

means that there is very significant effect

of clustering technique to the students’

writing ability.

The effectiveness is also supported

by the result of questionnaire. It shows that

Mostly the students give their positive

response when clustering technique

applied. From 29 students in the class, 2%

students state they are strongly disagree,

8% students state they are disagree, 27%

students state they are neither agree nor

disagree, 50% students state they are agree,

and 13% students state they are strongly

agree if clustering technique is interesting

and appropriate to be applied in teaching

D = ∑𝐷

𝑁

= 3 9

9 = 11

t = 𝐷

√∑𝐷

(∑𝐷)

𝑁𝑁 (𝑁 )

=

√6 9 (3 9)

9 9 ( 9 )

=

√6 9

0 76 9

9 ( 8)

=

6 9 3509

8

=

6 0

8

=

3,

=

,79

= 6,145 = 6,15

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English Department


writing recount text especially to assist

them in generating ideas. It can be

concluded that mostly the students give

positive response about clustering

technique. They agree that clustering

technique is effective in writing ability.

Knowing the condition of students’ writing

ability before treatment did, the result was

good enough in developing their writing

ability. Based on the result of test and

questionnaire above, this technique should

be applied especially in teaching writing.

Thus, the students will be more interested

in writing. Furthermore, the students will

be able to generate their ideas easily when

write a text.

In summary, clustering technique

gave contribution to the students’ writing

ability because they can enjoy the process

of writing recount text. It affects the

students’ writing ability. It can be said that

there is very significant effect of clustering

technique to the tenth students’ writing

ability of SMKN 1 Kediri in academic year

2014/2015.

IV. CONCLUSION AND

SUGGESTION

From research finding, the researcher

concludes that clustering technique is

effective to be used in teaching writing

especially in the tenth grade students of

SMKN 1 Kediri in academic year

2014/2015. Clustering technique is an

interesting way. It is the easiest technique

in assisting students to generate their ideas

deeply. The technique has big contribution

in writing ability.

It is suggested to the teachers, they

are suggested to be more creative and

innovative in using various kinds of

interesting teaching technique which

accompany the materials, so that the

students will be more active and

encouraged to learn and they don’t get

difficulty in writing, that appropriate

technique is clustering technique. In

addition, students are suggested to build

their motivation and intention using

clustering technique. For other researchers,

they are suggested to use clustering

technique especially in writing ability.

11

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English Department


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kassner, L. A., & O’Neill, P. (2010). Reframing Writing Assessment to Improve Teaching and

Learning. Utah: Utah State University Press.

Vallis, G. L. (2010). Reason to Write. North Carolina: Kona Publishing and Media Group.

Taylor, G. (2009). A Student’s Writing Guide. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Sowton, C. (2011). 50 Steps to Improving Your Academic Writing. United Kingdom: Garnet

Publishing.

Minister of Education and Culture. (2013). Materi Pelatihan Guru Implementasi Kurikulum

2013. Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan Sumberdaya Manusia Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan

dan Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers T. S. (1986). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching.

United Kingdom: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge.

Raimes, A., & Jerskey, M. (2011). Keys for Writers. Boston: Lyn Uhl.

Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Sorensen, C., & Razavieh, A. (2010). Introduction to Research in

Education. Canada: Wadsworth.

Singh, Y. K. (2006). Fundamental of Research Methodology and Statistics. New Delhi: New

Age International Ltd., Publisher.

Dornyei, Z. (2003). Questionnaires in Second Language Research. London: Lawrence

Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

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